Match box



June 26, 1923. 1,459,850

L. s. MOORE MATCH BOX Filed Nov. 10 1921 53 frwaiiow Patented. June 26, 1923.

warren s'rares ias aeee LEWIS s. Moonnor MINNEAPOLIS, irirnnnsorn.

MATCH BOX.

Application filed November 10,1921. SerialNc. 514,233.

To all whom it may concern:

..Be it known that I, LEWIS S. Moons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of 'Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'Match Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in match boxes, and more particularly, to a match feeding mechanism therefor, whereby only a single match can be removed from the match box at a time. To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinationsof devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring tothe drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved match box;

F 2 is a vertical sectiontaken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;- i

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, with exception that the match box is shown, in an open position by means of full lines and in a closed position by broken lines;

Fig. 1 is a View partly in plan and partly in horizontal section taken on the line 4lof Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspectiveview showing the mechanism for removing a match from the feed bladeand supporting the same; and v v Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

The numeral 7 indicates a casing having an open top, bottom and front, and its back wall is extended considerably below said casing, and has formed therewith, a shallow upright pocket 8 open atits top and provided, in its sides, with vertical slots 9. To detachably secure the match box to a wall. or other support, there is formed in the back of the casing 7, upper and lower slots 11.

- through which extend screws 12. These screws 12 are first screwedinto the support 10 and the match box attached thereto, by forming in the lower ends of the slots 9, entrance passageways for the heads of the screws 12. A downward movement of the match box will carry bodies of the screws 12 into the slots 11 which are overlapped by the heads of said screws.

A box 13, open at its back and sides, is provided for co-operation with the casing 7 to form a closed receptacle. Thetop and bottom of'the box 18 are in diverging relation and said bottom extends within the casing 7 and is provided with depending ears 14 hinged at 15 to the sidesof said casing which supports the box 13 for outward swinging movement into a filling position, as shown by full lines in F ig. 3. I

The front and top of the match box 13 are provided with flanges 16 which overlap the sides of the casing 7 and the inner edge of the top of said box is inset and overlapped by an outturned flange 17 on the upper edge of the casing 7. The bottom of the box 13 terminates, short of the back of the casing 7,to afford, therebetween, a match escape passageway 18. This match escape passageway is normally closed by an escapement 19 pivoted at 20 to the sides of the. casing 7,

just below said opening, for swinging movement toward and from the casing 7. A leaf spring 21 is secured to the bottom of the match box 13 and, whensaidbox is closed, yieldingly holds the escapement 19 against the back of the casing 7 and in a positlon to close the passageway 18. To prevent the heads of the matches from coming in contact with the escapement 19, the same is cut away at its ends, asindicated at 19.

To fill the box 13 with matches Z the same is first. turned into an open position, as

shown by full lines in Fig. 3. A temporary cover plate 22 is then placed overthe open bottom of the match box 13 tohold the matches in position, while the box 13 is being moved from an open to a closed position. To hold the cover plate 22 in this position there isformed on the lower end thereof a tongue 23 adapted to be inserted into a transverse slot 24 in thebottom of the box 13. This tongue 23 also serves another function and that is it engages the spring 21 and springs the same into a position to clear the escape nent 19 when the box 13 is moved to a closed position, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 3. Before the box 3 is completely closed the cover plate 22 is lifted therefrom whichlreleases the matches and spring 21 and which spring again becomes operative on the escapement blade 25.

A vertical movable feed blade 25 is mounted in the pocket 8 for movement intoand out of the match box through the passageway 18 and has in its upper edge a receiving channel 26 of such size as to holdonly a single match. To remove a match from the match box' the feed blade 25 is projected through the passageway 18 by an operating bail 27. The arms of this bail 27 embraces the sides of the casing 7 and are pivoted thereto for vertical swinging movement and which arms are connected to the feed-blade 25 by a pair of links 28. "These links 28 are intermediately pivoted at their upper ends to the intermediate portions of the arms of the bail 27 and their lower ends are pivoted to nut equipped studs 29 on the vertical edges of the feed blade 25 and which studs work in the slots 9, see Fig. 6.

During the projecting movement of the feed blade 25 its upper edge engages the escapement 19 and swings the same out of its path of movement, against the tension of the spring 21, to open the'passageway 18. Through the open passageway 18 one of the matches rolls or drops into the receiving channel 26 and is removed from the box during the recedingniovement of the feed I During the receding movement of the feed blade 25 the same passes out of the engagement with the escapement 19 and permits the same to close, under the action of the spring 21, to prevent the escape of other matches from the match box. As the receiving channel 26 nears the pocket 8 during the receding movement of the feed blade 25 the match held therein engages a pair of cams 30 on the back of the casing '7 and thereby held until the receiving channel 26 has entirely released the same during the receding movement of the'feed blade 25. The match held on the cam 30 is then released and slides onto a pair of edg-ewise spaced segmental flanges or holders on the sides of the casing 7. These holders 32 support a matchonly at its ends so that it can easily be taken hold of and removed from the match box. The front of the pocket 8 is roughened at 33 to form a. match striking surface.

From the above description it is evident that only a single match can be removed from the match box at a time thus saving a considerable waste.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a receptacle having a-match escape passageway, of a feed blade movable into and out of the receptacle through saidpassageway, and an escapement normally closing saidpassageway and arranged to be operated by the feed blade to open said passageway.

2. The combination with a receptacle having a match escape passageway, of a feed blade movableinto and out of the receptacle through said passageway, and a spring held escapement normally closing said passageway and arranged to be cammed into an inoperative position by the feed blade to open said passageway.

3. The combination with a receptacle having a match escape passageway, of a feed blade movable into and out of the receptacle through said passageway, a spring held escapement normally closing said passageway and arranged to be cammed into an inoperative position by the feed blade to open said passageway, and an operating bail and connections for actuating the feed blade.

4. The combination with a receptacle having a match escape passageway, of a teed blade movable into and out of the receptacle through said passageway and having a match receiving channel, an escapement normally closing said passageway and arranged to be moved by the feed blade into an inoperative position to open said passageway, and means for removinga match from. said channel during the receding movement of the feed blade;

5. The combination with a receptacle having a match escape passageway, of a feed blade movable into and out of the receptacle through said passageway and having ,a match receiving channel, an escapement normally closing said passageway and arranged to be moved by the feed blade intoan inoperative position to open said passageway, means for removing a match from said channel during the receding movement of the feed blade, and a holder for receiving a match after its removal from said channel.

6. The combination with a receptacle havng a match escape passageway, of a feed blade movable into and out ofthe receptacle through said passageway and having a match receiving channel, an escapement normally closing said passageway and arranged, to be moved by the feed blade into an inoperative position to open said passageway, a cam for removing the match from said channel, and a holder for receiving the match after its removal from said channel.

7. The combination with a casing, of a match box hinged to the casing and having a match escape passageway, an escapement, a spring on the match box yieldingly holding the escapement in a position to close said passageway, a feed blade movable intoand out of the-casingthrough said passageway and arranged to move said escapement into an inoperative position to open said passageway.

8. The combination with a casing, of an open back match box hinged to the casing and having a match escape passageway, an escapement, a spring on the match box yield ingly holding the escapementin a position to close said passageway, anda feed blade movableinto and out of the matchbox,

through said passageway and arranged to move the escapement into an inoperative position to open said passageway.

9. The combination with a casing, of an open back match box hinged to the casing and having a match escape passageway, an escapement, a spring on the match box yieldingly holding the escapement in a position to close said passageway, and a temporary cover plate for the match box arranged to hold said spring in a position to engage the escapement during the closing movement of the match box.

10. The combination with a casing having an open front, top and bottom and a pocket below said bottom, of a match box having an open back and hinged at its bottom to the casing for swinging movement into and out of said casing, the bottom of the match box being downwardly inclined toward the open back thereof, said match box having a match escape passageway in its bottom, an escapement hinged to the match box and normally closing said passageway, a spring on the match box y ieldingly holding the escapement in an operative position, and a feed blade mounted in said pocketand having on its upper edge a match receiving channel and movable into and out of the match box through said passageway and arranged to move the escapement into an inoperative position to open said passageway.

11. The combination with a casing having an open front, top and bottom and a pocket below said bottom, of a match box having an open back and hinged at its bottom to the casing for swinging movement into and out of said casing, said match box having a match escape passageway in its bottom, an escapement hinged to the match box and normally closing said passageway, a spring on the match box yieldingly holding the escapement in an operative position, a feed blade mounted in said pocket and having on its upper edge a match receiving channel and moveable into and out of the match box through said passageway and arranged to move the escapement into an inoperative position to open said passageway, and a cam between the pocket and casing for removing a match from said channel.

12. The combination with a casing having an open front, top and bottom and a pocket below said bottom, of a match box having an open back and hinged at the bottom of the casing for swinging movement into and out of said casing, said match box having a match escape passageway in its bottom,

an escapement hinged to the match box and normally closingsaid passageway, a spring on the match box y ieldingly holdingthe escapement in an operative position, a feed blade mounted in said pocket and having on its upper edge a match receiving channel and movable into and out "of the match box through said passageway and arranged to move the escapement into an inoperative position to open said passageway, and edgewise spaced se mental flanges for receiving and holding a. match after its removal from said channel by the cam.

13. The combination with a casing having an open front, top and bottom and a pocket feed blade mounted in. said pocket and havmg on its upper edge a match receiving channel and movable into and out of the match box through said passageway and arranged to move the escapement into an inoperative position to open said passageway, and a temporary cover plate for the open back of the match box and having a tongue insertable through a slot in the bottom of the match box for engagement with said spring to hold the same in a position to engage the escapement during the closing movement of the match box.

14. The combination with a casing having an open front, top and bottom and a pocket below said bottom, of a match box having an open back and hinged at its bottom to the casing for swinging movement into and out of said casing, said match box having a match escape passageway in its bottom, an escapement hinged to the match box and normally closing said passageway, a spring on the match box yieldingly holding the escapement in an operative position, a feed blade mounted in'said pocket and having on its upper edge a match receiving channel and movable into and out of the match box through said passageway and arranged to movetheescapement into an inoperative position to open said passageway, an operating bail having its arms pivoted to the sides of the casing, and links connecting the arms of the bail to the feed blade.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEWIS s. Moons 

